A series of meetings aiming to bring Battlement Mesa and Parachute closer together is slated to continue Wednesday.

The two Western Garfield County communities set out earlier this year to establish a State of the Grand Valley committee. The committee, composed of local organization officials and leaders, is helping facilitate discussions over how Parachute and Battlement Mesa can better reach common goals in relation to infrastructure, housing and economic needs, a town news release states.

The first town hall meeting was March 29. More than 100 people, including speakers Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson, Garfield County Housing Authority Executive Director Cheryl Strouse and Parachute Town Manager Travis Elliott, attended.

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The second meeting is slated for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Grand Valley Recreation Center, 398 Arroyo Drive, Battlement Mesa. Local officials and leaders will address some of the region’s most prevalent challenges: child care accessibility, social services and economic development, the release states.

“The problems we face as a region can only be solved by working together. Our committee’s goal is to bring the communities together so we can work towards future common goals,” Vinnie Tomasulo, committee member and assistant director of the Battlement Mesa Metro District and Service Association, said in the release. “It doesn’t matter where you live. We’re in this together as one community.”

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The meeting in June also aims to build upon the community dialogue and to continue identifying issues where the two communities can work together. 

After identifying common issues, a third meeting will be held in September to discuss solutions and next steps. 

Wednesday’s town hall, which is free, will be emceed by Parachute Mayor Tom Rugaard and Grand Valley Recreation Center Director Steve Matzl. The event includes nine speakers, from agencies like Early Childhood Network, Aspen Hope Center and Grand River Health.

Dinner is to be provided courtesy of Alpine Bank, and free child care will be available for the duration of the event. Live translation will also be provided during the event by the Grand Valley Residents Team, the release states. 

Time is set aside for questions and answers at the end of the evening, and public participation will be encouraged to set the stage for the third and final meeting in the three-part series.

“We look forward to continuing the conversation with the community. We are a strong and tight knit region, but only if we are working together.” Rugaard said in the release. “Our whole is definitely greater than the sum of our parts.”